THE LIFE

OF THE

REV. JOHN MACDONALD.

CHAPTER I.

Introduction-John Macdonald's Birth-His Mother-Her Influence "The Sacrament Burn"-Early Traits-The University-His Success at King's College-His Studies-A College Competition-Its Result-His Early Habits, and Conscientiousness-Examples-Takes his Degree-His Character at this period.

THE fountain of all perfection is found in God, and whatever excellence may appear in His creatures is only as a spark, or an emanation from Him. They may be just, but He is justice; they may be enlightened, but He is light; they may be merciful-He is mercy; they may be loving-God is love.

We accordingly see that the excellencies which constellate in the Divinity are reflected in detail, and in various measures, from the excellent of the earth. Is the Eternal a God of truth? Then one of His re deemed servants is found signalized by that graceCornelius Jansen, bishop of Ypres, as he traversed his garden, was often seen to pause, and, with his

eye directed to heaven, was heard exclaiming, "O truth! truth!" He loved it with the force of a passion, and pursued it often in places where it could not be found, but yet with earnest and intense desire. Or, is the Supreme characterised as a Father? is He guided by a father's pity, or invested with a father's authority? Then another, of large affection and most genial nature, was heard exclaiming, as he also traversed his garden amid the stillness of a Sabbath twilight-"O my Father, my heavenly Father!" Each renewed soul thus finds in the Eternal Spirit something congenial with the presiding principle in its own nature, to be at once an object of admiration or love to the creature, and a bond of union between the Creator and him.—We are about to delineate the life and character of one who, had the master-principle of his soul ever been embodied in such an exclamation, would, we believe, have exclaimed-"O love!-the love of God in Christ, which passeth knowledge !"

JOHN MACDONALD was born at Edinburgh, on the 17th day of February, in the year 1807, and was ✓ baptized on the 8th of the following month, by the Rev. Dr Campbell, of the Tolbooth Church, in that city. His father, now Rev. Dr Macdonald,* was, at that period, the minister of the Gaelic Chapel in Edinburgh; and to those who are acquainted with the history of religion in Scotland for the past forty

* It is melancholy to be obliged to add that the father has been called to follow the son, to the rest that remaineth for the people of God. If it be a token for good to the Church when one master in Israel is raised up after another to unfold and defend the truth, what shall we say when one after another is so suddenly summoned from the field to their rest?

years, it is superfluous to recount the benefits imparted by his apostolic labours. The revival in religion which had been commenced or promoted by the efforts of Whitefield, Dr Erskine, and others, was carried forward by his zeal and energy, after his translation from Edinburgh to the parish of Urquhart, in Ross-shire. Indeed, to perhaps none of her living sons does Scotland owe more than to him who has been appropriately styled the Apostle of the North. Not merely has soul after soul been born of the Spirit through his instrumentality, but revival after revival-those harvests of ministerial labour-have been produced, or promoted, by a blessing from on high on his devoted labours; and the day when the secrets of all hearts shall be laid bare alone can tell how many shall rise up to call him blessed, or be to him what the Thessalonians were to Paul-"his hope and joy, and crown of rejoicing in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, at his coming." It is true that he did not proceed unmolested in this career of reclaiming the outcast, or disturbing the slumbers of the spiritually dead. The controversy which began between Cain and Abel, and which has been revived and perpetuated in every succeeding age, when the works that were righteous came into collision with the works that were evil,* was renewed in his case. Worldliness could not brook the aggressions which were made on its dark territory, nor tolerate the zeal that was inspired by the blessing of God on the endeavours to which we allude. But the offence of the Cross was cheerfully

* 1 John iii. 12.

borne it was deemed enough if souls were awakened and saved.

Trained at the feet, and taught by the example, of such a father, it may readily be supposed that the son received impressions, in his earliest years, which were never effaced, and which his own maturity only developed and made indelible. His mind was peculiarly delicate and impressible, and when reverence was mixed with affection, it is easy to conceive the effects upon a mind so exquisitely formed, so loving and so lovely as his. It was long subsequent to this period that he became a child of God in spirit and in truth; but even in his earliest years those traits which constituted the peculiarity of his character were developed-affection and simplicity signalized him even in his childhood.

John Macdonald lost his mother by death soon after his father was translated from Edinburgh to Urquhart; and though his remembrance of her was faint, he often spoke of her with a degree of affection which evinced at once the tenderness and the depth of his juvenile impressions. It was from her that he learned his first lessons as to himself and his God; and it was in connection with her that he began to display those tendencies which grace subsequently sanctified, and consecrated to his Redeemer. His experience is, therefore, to be added to that of "the great cloud" comprehending Augustine, John Newton, Jonathan Edwards, Washington, Cuvier, Cecil, and others, whose first realizing impressions of the power and the preciousness of truth, are ascribed to the prayers and the painstaking of a mother. The strain of her instructions may be in